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What would your dad like for dinner? In our family, my husband, Bruce, always chooses the same meal. He wants steak, salad and pie for dessert. Not the most creative menu perhaps, but one that is comforting for many fathers. To add a little excitement, I will serve grilled Caesar salad and a man-sized Peter Luger steak with roasted chili potatoes. Although I am going to make mine my pie, I urge you to buy one if you want to save time.

CHILLED WHITE BEAN

AND APPLE SOUP

This soup is a heart-healthy addition to the menu. It is gorgeous served in herb-rimmed mugs.

What you need

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 cup tart apple, peeled and diced

3 cups chicken stock

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 19-ounce can cannellini beans, drained

¼ to ½ cup buttermilk

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

¼cup chopped fresh coriander

Salt and freshly ground pepper

What you do

Heat butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and apple. Sauté for 2 minutes or until vegetables soften. Add chicken stock and cayenne and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add beans and simmer another 10 minutes.

Place in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Stir in enough buttermilk to give the consistency you want, then add lime juice and coriander. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill well before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

GRILLED CAESAR SALAD

I had this delicious salad in a little restaurant in the Finger Lakes wine region in New York state several months ago. You can use croutons instead of baguette slices if you like.

What you need

3 small romaine lettuces or hearts of romaine

¼ cup olive oil

2 red onions

6 slices baguette, ½-inch thick

1 clove garlic cut in half

Dressing:

4 anchovies (about 1 teaspoon, chopped)

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

What you do

Cut each romaine in half lengthwise. Brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat grill to high. Grill romaine for about 1 to 2 minutes a side (with lid closed) or until charred but not limp. Reserve.

Cut red onions into thick rounds and brush with the 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for about 3 minutes a side or until limp and slightly charred. Cool and separate into rings.

Grill bread about 1 minute a side or until toasted but not burnt. Remove from grill and brush with remaining olive oil. Rub with garlic on both sides.

Combine anchovies, garlic, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Remove thick cores from romaine. Place romaine on a platter, pile onions along side. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and serve with toasts on the side.

PETER LUGER PORTERHOUSE STEAKS

Peter Luger is arguably the best steak house in the United States.

It is in Brooklyn, N.Y., and serves Porterhouse steaks only. Word is that when they can't get exactly the quality they want, they don't take as many reservations rather than serve anything but the best.

Porterhouse is a wonderful steak on the grill because it gives a piece of filet and sirloin to everyone.

Never spoil the taste of excellent steak with too many flavours. I never marinate great steaks although sometimes I sprinkle on a dry rub.

What you need

3 1½-inch-thick Porterhouse steaks

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons dry rub, (optional)

What you do

Brush steak with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Preheat grill to high. Cook steak about 8 minutes on one side and 7 minutes the other, or until desired degree of doneness. (We like 125 F on an instant-read thermometer for rare, 135 F for medium-rare.)

Let sit for 5 minutes. Cut off both the sirloin section and the filet and slice down into thick slices.

Sprinkle with a little Maldon salt or fleur de sel before serving. Serves 6.

BLUEBERRY AND CREAM TART

You can use frozen blueberries for this. Drain well and increase the flour to 2 tablespoons.

What you need

1 tablespoon flour

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

3 cups blueberries

½cup sour cream

¼ cup whipping cream

1 baked tart shell

What you do

Combine flour, sugar and lemon rind. Mix with blueberries. Combine sour cream and whipping cream. Stir into blueberries. Place in tart shell. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until blueberries are bubbling. Serves 6.

Beppi Crosariol will return

next week.

lwaverman@globeandmail.com